Here Are the Details of Princess Diana and Prince Charles' Divorce Agreement

In 1996, Prince Charles and Diana, Princess of Wales finalized their divorce after being separated for four years. While fictional portrayals of their split may grace our screens, the actual events surrounding Diana's departure from the royal family, as reported by Cosmopolitan, are just as dramatic. It began with Diana confronting Camilla about her affair with Charles, a dramatic showdown that unfolded during a birthday celebration for Camilla's sister. Diana said to Camilla, “I know what’s going on between you and Charles and I just want you to know that.”

Divorce is not typically embraced within the British royal family, and as viewers of The Crown know, there was a strong desire for Diana and Charles to maintain their marriage despite allegations of infidelity. However, the couple ultimately decided to separate, which was formalized when British Prime Minister John Major announced it in December 1992. According to Town & Country Magazine, he said, "It is announced from Buckingham Palace that, with regret, the Prince and Princess of Wales have decided to separate. The Royal Highnesses have no plans to divorce, and their constitutional positions are unaffected."

In June 1994, two years after their separation, Charles made a significant move by participating in a TV interview where he openly admitted to being unfaithful to Diana. The interview took place at Charles's estate at Highgrove, where he faced direct questions about his fidelity and honor during his marriage to Diana. He answered, “Yes, absolutely." However, he was then asked, “And you were?” To this, he said, “Yes, until it became irretrievably broken down, us both having tried.” Following their separation, the Queen requested that Diana and Charles formalize their separation.

Additionally, Buckingham Palace stated on December 21, 1995, revealing that the Queen had written to Charles and Diana, encouraging them to proceed with a divorce. Diana later confirmed her agreement to the divorce through her spokesperson on February 29, 1996, with her lawyer, Anthony Julius, also providing a statement to BBC News. Julius said, “It was an exceptionally difficult decision and one which the Princess of Wales has taken with immense sadness and regret.” Nevertheless, Diana was required to relinquish her title of "Her Royal Highness" and any potential future claims to the royal family's throne.

As per the divorce agreement, Diana retained her residence at Kensington Palace and was granted access to the jets utilized by the royal family. Additionally, she was permitted to utilize the state apartments at St. James's Palace for entertaining purposes. Buckingham Palace further disclosed that Diana would receive a lump-sum payment instead of ongoing alimony payments. Additionally, both Diana and Charles were granted equal visitation rights to their children, William and Harry, during their separation. The transition was reportedly smooth as they were already accustomed to alternating holidays.